Leaving
by mysticxf
Summary: Written before, but will by outdated by, "Born to Run". [What if] Kate nabs the last spot on the raft and Jack doesn't want her to go.


Lost belongs to JJ Abrams and crew, I'm just borrowing for fun. Written before, but will by outdated by, "The Greater Good" or "Born to Run". Kate nabs the last spot on the raft and Jack doesn't want her to go. Answer to a challenge. Enjoy

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Lost – Leaving  
By Mystic  
May 3rd 2005

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Kate sat on rocks that jutted out of the ocean and she stared at the jungle. She watched the way the trees swayed with the soft breeze and how clouds cast shadows on the green mountains. A flock of birds took flight and made their way from one side of the island to the other, or at least what of it she could see.

If she turned her head she would see some of the survivors working on their shelters, some would be playing cards in the sand or telling stories about their lives before the crash. None of them approached her. If she looked over, she would see the raft, completed and ready to be launched, but she didn't look at it. Her heart leapt into her throat every time she even thought to.

She'd stolen Sawyer's spot, argued that he had no real skills that would get them to land. Michael had built the boat; Walt was his son; Sun had medical knowledge; Kate could navigate. Sawyer could make wise cracks and drink all their water; Kate had sailed on boats before and knew how to conserve. It just made more sense.

The island knew her secrets now.

Kate felt him at her side and refused to look over. She could hear the anger in his breath and she closed her eyes a moment. "Jack," she started. Someone told. They weren't supposed to. She was supposed to be on the raft at daybreak and be off before he could make it back from the caves. But now he stood next to her, his eyes wide, surprised? Did he really think she'd let the first opportunity off the island slip through her fingers?

"This is a change." It was all he said. His voice was flat, emotionless and his fists were clenched at his side. Kate felt her body tense, he had a fighting stance, even if he didn't know he did.

"Figured I'll be staring at the ocean enough…" it slipped into a whisper.

"Why?" Was all he asked. He sounded like a child.

She looked at him. His eyes were red, and his shirt was damp with sweat, as if he'd run from the caves. Run from Sawyer, who was sure to be the person who told. Sawyer wanted his spot back; thought sending Jack to argue with her would get her to stay. Sawyer underestimated her greatly.

"Why are you going? Why are you taking Sawyer's spot?"

Kate scratched her bottom lip with her top teeth, half turning so her left leg fell off the rock and hung limply at its side. "Jack…"

"What'd you do? Lie and tell them you were a master knot tier? That you'd sailed yachts with your boyfriends? That you had an advanced education in astronomy? What lies did you tell?"

She punched him. It was a month and a half of frustration with everything on this island. A month and a half of frustration towards him. Jack stumbled, his feet loosing their balance and leaving deep holes in the ground before his bottom hit the sand. He grabbed his jaw as she jumped off the rock, preparing herself for retaliation. It'd been a very long time since she'd fought, she was ready for it; but not ready for it to be Jack. He stood and she swung at him again, wanting him to hit her. Wanting him to bruise her, bloody her and give her another reason to go.

Kate wanted to hate Jack.

He ducked away from her and grabbed her arms, pulling her to his chest. "Don't go," he told her quietly. She pressed her forehead into his chest, not daring to look up at him as she shook it. "Kate, everyone will forget soon enough."

"Forget that I killed someone. That I pulled the trigger, shot the gun, watched the blood, and ran?" Kate pushed off him, leaving her arms loose at her sides. The wind picked up and her hair slapped her face. "I'm leaving, Jack." She dared him to do something, she dared him to approach her, but he kept his ground. He didn't even blink. He just stared at her, the left side of his face turning red.

"Don't go," he repeated.

"You can't make me change my mind." Her stomach turned, she watched his expression soften, sadden. Watched his eyes well up and she clenched her jaw and turned away.

"Don't go." It was all he said and it was making her chest burn and her eyes water. He wanted her to stay because of him. She didn't want to stay for him. She didn't want to love him. She threw herself at him, tackling him into the water and raised her arm to punch him again, but it was weak, and he easily pushed her off, standing. "Don't go for the wrong reasons, Kate."

Her arm solidified, swinging quickly, but he ducked and punched the right side of her face. It stung, more than anything she'd ever felt before. His face looked shocked, as if he didn't think he had it in him to hit her, and then he stood straighter, anger replacing the pain he'd felt a moment before.

Kate took several long breaths, tasting metal in her mouth. He had a good punch, she thought to herself, somewhat proudly. She ran into the jungle and listened to him call out after her. Jack shouted her name and she ignored him, jumping over tree trunks and through vines knowing he'd never find her in the jungle, he'd never even try.

Kate hid in the jungle all night, ignoring Sawyer when she heard him call her name, ignored a few of the others – even Sun – and kept to her hiding place up in the trees. She watched a polar bear walk through the jungle, listened to a noise that was all too familiar now as it passed very near her and went along on its business, not paying any attention to the stranger in its trees. Somewhere inside, she thought it knew not to bother her, that her heart was broken and unfixable and not worth eating. Or whatever it did to the people it caught. She fell asleep in the tree, her head pressed firmly against a ripe Guava fruit.

In the morning, she made her way back to her stuff on the boat, opened the zippers and played with them a while, waiting for Michael to wake up and start on Walt. The boy grumbled and eventually climbed on the boat beside her, giving her a strange look – one that asked her what was wrong, but she refused to answer.

"You alright?" Michael asked. She nodded. "Your face…" he trailed. Sun climbed onto the boat and gave her the same concerned expression.

She stared at the jungle and then blinked away tears. "I'm good, let's go."

The boat was a good way out to sea when Jack arrived on the beach. Kate watched him come to the edge of the water, soaking his boots in the waves and he frowned at her. He was disappointed with her. She turned away, watched the way Sun was looking at her and fought with herself not to cry.

"Kate?" It was Walt. The boy came and sat next to her. He looked back at Jack, who hadn't left the spot on the beach, even though everyone else had. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, Walt," she answered, feeling her words heavy in her throat.

"If you love him so much, why'd you leave him?"

She glanced at the dark eyes that were staring up at her questioningly. He looked sad for her. Putting an arm around him, she shrugged, feeling him raise his own arm to embrace her, as if he knew that's what she needed. She looked back at the island, at Jack, who sat now, in her comfortable spot, watching the ocean.

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Finis 


End file.
